The New Empowerment After eXposure to Trauma (NEXT) Study for Perinatal PTSD Evaluating Narrative Exposure Therapy Versus Usual Care

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a revised perinatal PTSD protocol called Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in this pilot randomized controlled study. The study aims to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a brief virtual intervention for pregnant or postpartum women diagnosed with PTSD related to childbirth. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either NET or usual care, with the goal of identifying the most practical and acceptable treatment approach in this group. Participants in the treatment group will receive four sessions of NET delivered virtually. This therapy includes psychoeducation about trauma and PTSD, constructing a life events inventory, exposure sessions where traumatic events are retold and integrated into a personal narrative, and reviewing the full written narrative prepared by the therapist. The usual care group will continue with standard physical and mental health care during pregnancy and postpartum, along with symptom monitoring by study staff. Usual care participants will also receive a list of local mental health support resources and be offered the NET intervention after study assessments. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks post-baseline to track feasibility, acceptability, and PTSD symptoms. Measures include the Perinatal NET Protocol Acceptability Questionnaire, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Life Events Checklist, and Perinatal Quality of Life. Weekly to biweekly symptom monitoring occurs during the 12-week intervention period. The study involves structured calls and questionnaires to monitor progress and safety, with total participation lasting approximately 24 weeks.

The New Empowerment After eXposure to Trauma (NEXT) Study